Simple Ways to Properly Care for Your Zippo Lighter
A Zippo or similar type of lighter is an essential component of any survival kit or bug out bag. They are virtually indestructible, and they work very well in adverse conditions. However, it’s important to know how to care for and maintain them in order to reduce the chances of encountering problems out in the field. Let’s look at some basic things to know about your survival lighter so you can get reap its benefits when you need them the most.
Basic Components
Many of these types of lighters have a similar set of components that will need maintenance from time to time. This includes the wick, flint, flint spring, wheel, packing material and felt pad. All of these items either fit inside the fuel chamber or at the top of the lighter. Take time to examine the lighter and become with these components and how they are assembled.
Basic Maintenance
One of the most common things that you will need to do is pull and clean the wick as it wears down during routine use. Remember that the wick is very long, and you can pull it up and keep using it until it’s almost entirely consumed. The easiest thing to do is take a pair of needle nose pliers to pull up the wick to the point where you can snip off the charred end while leaving enough clean material sticking out from the top. Make a mental note as to how far the wick protrudes before pulling it, and pull it up just enough to reach this point after trimming.
To replace the wick, we need to disassemble the lighter from the bottom. Remove the chamber from the casing and unscrew the flint lock. Carefully loosen and remove the lock, spring and flint that is attached at the end and set aside. Next, take your pliers and pull off the felt-like backing. You will now see a series of cotton-like pads that also need to be removed with the pliers. Once all of the padding is removed, all that will remain in the empty chamber is the wick. Take your pliers and simply pull it out. To replace, twist the ends to reduce splitting or fraying and insert the bottom of the wick through the top of the hole in the lighter. Once inserted, take the pliers to pull it through.
Insert one of the pieces of padding and gently press it in place. Take your wick and push it to either side of the chamber and hold it in place as you stuff the remaining padding into the chamber one by one. Then, replace the felt end piece before carefully sliding the flint, spring and screw assembly back into position. Screw it securely before adding fuel and placing the sleeve back over the chamber.
The second most common thing that you will need to do is change the flint. While the steps involved with changing the flint are pretty simple, it can be tricky to get it done the first couple of times. You will need to get a feel for how to hold the spring, flint and cap in place in order to keep it from flying apart. One of the biggest problems inherent with any lighter is that the flint used is so small that it can be difficult to handle.
To change the flint, loosen the screw and remove the assembly. Carefully place the new flint atop of the spring and feed it back through the chamber. All you need to do is screw it back in place and you’re good to go. The trick is to get a feel for how to keep the flint in position as you are putting everything together. Always do this on a clean surface so you can find the flint if it falls or pops off during the process, because it happens a lot more often than most people realize.
Final Thoughts
Depending on the age of the lighter, you may need to replace the padding as well as the felt end piece. This is pretty self-explanatory, and you will know when these items need to be replaced as the lighter may start to leak or burn through fuel at a faster than normal pace. Finally, no matter what, never do any maintenance on your lighter while the fuel chamber is full. Either wait until the lighter is empty, or squeeze out the fuel by gently pressing the packing material together. Fuel can interfere with the flint as well as pose a safety hazard if it gets on your hands and surfaces while working on the lighter.
Following these basic steps can help you to conserve fuel and get the most reliability out of your lighter. Make sure that you pack some extra flints, wicks and have enough fuel for your lighter in your survival kit or bug out bag. Finally, if you keep this type of lighter with you, make sure that it’s always full and in good condition in case you end up relying on it during an unexpected situation.
